Osteosynthesis plate for the upper end of the arm bone

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns an osteosynthesis plate designed for osteosynthesis of displaced fracture of the upper end of the arm bone comprising a T-shaped main body ( 2 ) whereof the longitudinal branch ( 3 ) and the transverse branch ( 4 ) are respectively perforated with holes ( 5, 6, 8 ) for passing through screws for anchoring and fixing said plate against the outer profile of a bone, and fixing lugs ( 9 ) which extend from each side of the transverse branch ( 4 ) of the main body ( 2 ), said lugs being less thick than the main body and perforated with holes ( 10 ) which co-operate with other anchoring screws for completely fixing bone fragments when urged in contact with the bone external profile.

[0001] The present invention relates to an osteosynthesis plate designed to reunite splinters and fragmented bodies of bone belonging to a humerus or to any other long bone.

[0002] Patent EP241914 discloses plates of this kind which have a T shape whose transverse branch and longitudinal branch are perforated with holes of oval conical profile. On one of the faces of each branch, the plate comprises grooves into which the holes provided for the passage of fixation screws open.

[0003] The plate is thus used with bone screws comprising a double thread, on the one hand for fixation in the bone and on the other hand for receiving said plate by placement of a nut, in order to obtain a device permitting stabilization by tightening.

[0004] The plate permits reduction of fractures of the anatomical neck of the humerus, of the ends of the humerus situated at the elbow, of the upper ends of the tibia, and of other lesions in proximity to the bases.

[0005] The osteosynthesis plate according to the present invention is aimed at refining the T-shaped plates in order to improve their fixation in the bone and more particularly the retention and fixation of the tuberosities, for example in the area of the upper end of a humerus.

[0006] The osteosynthesis plate according to the present invention is designed for osteosynthesis of displaced fractures of the upper end of the humerus and comprises a T-shaped main body whose longitudinal branch and transverse branch are respectively perforated with holes for the passage of screws for anchoring and fixing said plate against the outer profile of a bone, and fixation tabs which extend from each side of the transverse branch of the main body, said tabs being less thick than the main body and being perforated with holes which cooperate with other anchoring screws to complete the fixation of bone fragments in contact with the outer profile of the bone.

[0007] The osteosynthesis plate according to the present invention comprises a transverse branch provided with at least one fixation tab oriented in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal branch, at least one tab oriented in a direction parallel to the longitudinal branch, and at least one tab which is inclined and situated between the first two.

[0008] The osteosynthesis plate according to the present invention comprises fixation tabs which are of small size and of low thickness compared to the size and thickness of the longitudinal branch and of the transverse branch so as to be modeled to the outer profile of the bone and perfectly follow the contours of the latter by bearing against it.

[0009] The osteosynthesis plate according to the present invention comprises a main body which has a curved tile shape with radius R1, the concavity of which is directed toward the bone, in order to optimally adapt to the bone profile in the transverse plane.

[0010] The osteosynthesis plate according to the present invention comprises a curvature with radius R situated in the region joining the longitudinal branch and the transverse branch, and of which the convexity is directed toward the bone, in such a way as to adapt to the bone profile in the region of application of the plate.

[0011] The following description in which reference is made to the attached drawings, which are given as nonlimiting examples, will permit a better understanding of the invention, of its characteristics, and of the advantages it is likely to afford.

[0012]FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the osteosynthesis plate according to the present invention.

[0013]FIG. 2 is a view showing the placement of the osteosynthesis plate according to the invention on a bone.

[0014]FIG. 3 is a front view showing the placement of the osteosynthesis plate according to the invention on a bone.

[0015]FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the placement of the osteosynthesis plate according to the invention on a bone.

[0016] In FIG. 1, an osteosynthesis plate 1 is shown which comprises a T-shaped main body 2 delimiting a longitudinal branch 3 and a transverse branch 4.

[0017] The longitudinal branch 3 forming the splint part of the osteosynthesis plate 1 is perforated with open holes 5, between which at least one hole 6 of oblong profile is provided.

[0018] The transverse branch 4 forming the head part of the osteosynthesis plate 1 has a slightly curved outer profile in order to delimit, on either side of the longitudinal branch 3, a rounded portion 7 perforated with a hole 8.

[0019] The transverse branch 4 is continued, in the area of its rounded portions 7, by a series of fixation tabs 9 which are of less thickness than that of the body 2 and which are perforated with holes 10.

[0020] The fixation tabs 9 extend from the peripheral edge of the main body 2 of the osteosynthesis plate 1.

[0021] Each rounded portion 7 of the transverse branch 4 comprises at lest one tab 9 oriented in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal branch 3, at least one tab 9 oriented in a direction parallel to the longitudinal branch 3, and at least one tab 9 which is inclined and situated between the first two.

[0022] The holes 10 formed in the tabs 9 are of small dimension in order to receive anchoring screws which are different than those cooperating with the holes 5, 6 of the longitudinal branch 3 and of the transverse branch 4.

[0023] The tabs 9 are of small size and of less thickness compared to the size and thickness of the longitudinal branch 3 and of the transverse branch 4 of the plate 1, in order to be modeled to the outer profile of the bone and perfectly follow the contours of the latter by bearing against it.

[0024] In FIG. 2, the osteosynthesis plate 1 has been shown bearing, for example, against the upper end of a humerus 11.

[0025] After anchoring of the bone screws of the splint against the humeral diaphysis 13, the placement of the osteosynthesis plate 1 allows the head 12 of the humerus to be brought back into contact with the aid of the screws positioned in the two holes 8 of the transverse branch 4 and the upper hole 5 of the longitudinal branch 3.

[0026] After anchoring of the bone screws, the placement of the osteosynthesis plate 1 also permits retention and fixation of the tuberosities against the epiphysis of the humerus 11.

[0027] It will be noted that the longitudinal branch 3 of the osteosynthesis plate 1 is fixed against the diaphyseal part 13 of the humerus 11, while the transverse branch 4 is fixed against the epiphyseal part 14 of the humerus 11, so that the tabs 9 are modeled about the outer profile of the tuberosities of the humerus before these are fixed, by anchoring screws passing through the holes 10.

[0028] It will be noted that the direction of the upper hole 5 of the longitudinal branch 3 and of the holes 8 of the transverse branch 4 is such that it allows positioning of the screws in a region near the center of the head 12 of the humerus.

[0029] The fact that the osteosynthesis plate 1 comprises fixation tabs 9 for the tuberosities in the area of the transverse branch 4 means that the muscle stresses applied to the tuberosities can be transmitted directly to the T-shaped main body 2 constituting said plate.

[0030] Likewise, the arrangement of the tabs 9 relative to one another makes it possible to constitute a kind of basket which envelops and maintains the tuberosities.

[0031]FIG. 3 is a front view of the plate 1 which has a curved form with radius R situated below the region joining the longitudinal branch 3 and the transverse branch 4, the convexity of which is directed toward the humerus, in such a way as to adapt to the lateral bone profile in the frontal plane.

[0032]FIG. 4 is a plan view of the plate 1 as a whole showing that the body 2 has a curved tile shape with radius R1, the concavity of which is directed toward the humerus, in order to adapt optimally to the bone profile in the transverse plane.

[0033] It will be noted that the main body 2 of the osteosynthesis plate 1 can have different outer shapes without this changing the subject of the present invention, which consists in arranging fixation tabs 9 around the body 2.

[0034] It must also be appreciated that the above description has been given only by way of example and that it does not in any way limit the field of the invention, and that replacing the design details which have been described with any other equivalents would not constitute a departure therefrom. 

1. An osteosynthesis plate designed for osteosynthesis of displaced fractures of the upper end of the humerus, comprising a T-shaped main body (2) whose longitudinal branch (3) and transverse branch (4) are respectively perforated with holes (5, 6, 8) for the passage of screws for anchoring and fixing said plate against the outer profile of a bone, characterized in that it comprises fixation tabs (9) which extend from each side of the transverse branch (4) of the main body (2), said tabs being less thick than said main body and being perforated with holes (10) which cooperate with other anchoring screws to complete the fixation of bone fragments in contact with the outer profile of the bone.
 2. The osteosynthesis plate as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the transverse branch (4) comprises at least one tab (9) oriented in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal branch (3), at least one tab (9) oriented in a direction parallel to the longitudinal branch (3), and at least one tab (9) which is inclined and situated between the first two.
 3. The osteosynthesis plate as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the tabs (9) are of small size and of low thickness compared to the size and thickness of the longitudinal branch (3) and of the transverse branch (4) so as to be modeled to the outer profile of the bone and perfectly follow the contours of the latter by bearing against it.
 4. The osteosynthesis plate as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the body (2) has a curved tile shape with radius R1, the concavity of which is directed toward the bone, in order to optimally adapt to the bone profile in the transverse plane.
 5. The osteosynthesis plate as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it has a curvature with radius R situated in the region joining the longitudinal branch (3) and the transverse branch (4), and of which the convexity is directed toward the bone, in such a way as to adapt to the bone profile in the region of application of the plate. 